The Future God Of Solitude
by 4fireking
Summary: People who believe in God say "blasphemy" to those who make fun of God. What if there were two Gods. And they are picking 30 candidates to choose for the next position of God. There will be violence, there will be death, all for the choosing of the new god. But the one God wants there to be more candidates because he doesn't want more death.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Golden Worlds

Movies and television shows both have different ways of explaining life. Action movies say we should be quick with our hands and feet, hit a lot of people with our elbows, and eventually grow up to strong and in the end. So many tales, so many lives, all moe and inspirational ideas from talented and not-so-talented writers.

People are valued differently in movies and television, but not in books. In books, characters live and survive, but they also die. They are born the same way as we are—at times, a character may be alien like Superman, or a clone; they learn, they feel all the feelings that most humans would kill themselves over, and they learn to find true happiness…or they die in a sacrifice to increase happiness.

/

I am God. I am the one who made you. I am not human; I may appear partially human, since I speak all of your languages and vaguely resemble you, but I am bigger and I never die. My death isn't unexpected or tragic like yours are. When I want to die, I'll die giving up my throne to a worthy candidate. But only to a candidate who can take life and also save it.

I am the real god. I am not saying this out of vanity; it is merely fact. There is a lesser God of Time and Space, Deus Ex Machina, who believes he can pose as me. He is wrong. His powers echo mine, but I am the real God. I am the one you pray to when you go to church, I am the one who loves every one of you like my children, and I fix your mistakes but not your problems.

Why do I allow good people to be wiped out? Why do I take children and not parents, letting the grandparents live to see their family completely abolished? I have two sides, one who is good to everyone and one who feels that good or bad people cannot go unpunished, for I have been abstinent of using my powers.

I need someone who can use my powers better than I; thus I have picked thirty candidates for a tournament soon to take place. I will transfer my powers into thirty diaries, allowing to tell the future, and give them to thirty owners. The diaries and their owners will become one. If the diary is ever to come into ruin then, their lives will perish along with it. They must take the lives of the other diary holders to win the game, and their goal is to be the last one standing when the world ends. Like the lives of the diary holders, the whole world will die along with them, and only one can make the world in their own ideal image. That person will be the last diary holder...and the new God.

/

I want to tell you all a tale, one that has happened to me. It starts with a world you do not know of and thus cannot give a name; I will call it World 1. World 1 was created by the second god, Deus Ex Machina, the one who took my throne and my power. How am I still alive? I am not alive. It wasn't me who controlled that world, it was an alternate me who gave Deus Ex Machina the throne—that me had lived for 10,000 decades. Deus finished his mission and passed his powers to a young girl named Yuno. Yuno was once a normal girl—she got good grades in school, made a lot of friends, had big dreams, and planned to be married. But, much like a soldier forbidden from entering the line of battle, Yuno let out her frustrations and killed her own abusive parents, keeping them as mementos of her scarred childhood. Yuno was a girl who killed her parents, and consequently she will remember them in Hell, where all tormented souls that can never forgive the suffering.

Yuno became God of that world after winning her version of the game; however, a world without her love was a world she could not live in. She chose to move to a different world where the battle to be God hadn't yet started and killed the Yuno in that world. Yuno tried becoming God again, but killed herself in an unexpected turn of events, making her love Yuki the God of the second world. And as for the people in the third world…their world didn't die and they never had to take part in the game, living the rest of their lives in peace.

I wish I could tell you that the worlds after the third world ended peacefully, but I cannot. The Deus Ex Machina from the fourth world was a little different from those previous. He was mad with power and refused to die in the same way his second self died, the first world and third world all living happier lives. Instead of letting history repeat itself, he killed twelve of the diary holders and gave the power of a god to John Bacchus. John Bacchus created a world with people that shared his beliefs. The fourth Deus had his fun with John Bacchus then moved to the next world, the fifth world. He gave all the diary holders their chance of winning, moving from world to world, until all twelve of the Diary Holders won. If it were up to this Deus, he would continue to disrupt the peace of the world for his own amusement. Even from another world, I sensed what that Deus wants. I had no choice but to formulate a plan asking the Deus of my world to grant me the remainder of his powers so I could get rid of the Deus from the fourth world. I succeeded after Deus killed his other worldly self, but a rule was passed among powers even greater than I when I slaughtered Deus that I must fill his part of becoming God, so in the world in which I stopped him I must make the rules; I am its new God. I chose more candidates not because I want more bloodshed, but so that they never have to find each other and murder just to become God.

/

My life is full of lemons. One day, I hope for it all to be over. I want to stop the murder, the war, the disease; I want to keep the death, because it is something we all must share. It is the only thing that makes you human and me God. What I want is for everyone to keep the love. Love and pleasure are feelings I never want to let go.

If this world gets a new God, I hope he or she will give me a happier ending than that of the third world.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: It's Obsession.

It was love that made her heart skip a beat whenever he was near. It was love that made her cheeks flush whenever she saw his smile. It was love that made her eyes chase after his back whenever he walked by. What else could it be? It was obviously love.

You never place your attention on a boy unless he attracted it somehow. Whether it'd be how handsome he was or the way he could make everyone laugh, those were few ways to catch a girl's eye. But, for her, it transcended further than that.

You couldn't tell if you were falling for someone unless it was only him who managed to make your chest feel tight and your feet weightless by doing nothing. And he hardly needed to do anything because he himself filled her heart and her mind.

You only dreamed of the future if he was involved. He would go down on one knee and propose, and the wedding wouldn't have to be anything spectacular as long as the merry couple was to be bonded together forever. They would have children—one boy and one girl, or more if he wished for it—and live in a lovely house in a lovely neighborhood where they would grow to be a happy family. She and he would spend their free time snuggling in bed and exchanging kisses, giggling and laughing with curled toes and wandering hands…

For her, she had all these symptoms. It was because it was love—pure love, and nothing more and certainly nothing less.

/

It was a beautiful morning. The outside was perfect. It already bloomed with perfect flowers and not that much traffic. No dad's on their computers watching violent movies. And no headaches, dry throat, or hurt fingers for this college kid. He didn't have to live in a dorm to get to college because the college was only a ten minute walk from her. Everyone would be happy if they lived like this...except Chihiro.

Chihiro was the most unhappy of college students. It wasn't stress that made him unhappy; he has been going to college for two years. Chihiro was unhappy because he was in an unhappy environment at school. Every day he was counting down the minutes until class ended and dreading every minute studying, doing homework, or playing a video game. What made class hard to handle wasn't the work, or the lack of good food he was eating, or even the busy schedules. He was sad because a girl wouldn't leave him alone.

Chihiro was a boy who liked wearing a coat even in doors. His coat was green with white hexagon's. He had a few pimples on his chin. He also wore white fingerless gloves which were half price at the store. For pants he wore brown shorts; he liked his legs to feel a little breeze. His eyes were blue. This girl who was obsessed over him was athletic. She was on the volleyball team but still had D cup boobs. She mostly wore a black sweater and blue jeans. She had a smiley face pin in her hair and two blue ribbons that looked like butterfly wings. Her hair was pink and so were her eyes. She sounded sweet and innocent which was why Chihiro never tod anyone she was bothering him.

Her name is Yui. Yui Haruka Kikiro. And for reasons Chihiro didn't know she seemed to have a big crush on him. It started with a letter in his locker which asked if he ever kissed a girl. The question wasn't the weirdest thing. It was in the letter she asked for the girls first name and address. Then it felt like he was being followed all the time by someone. In college, on his way home, and even in his home. Whoever was in love with him was clearly out of her mind.

Speaking of out of their mind people,Chihiro's Dad was replacing the floors. He was going to pull out the floors and replace them with new floors. It didn't seem like a stupid idea considering how much soy sauce stained the carpet, but Yoko doesn't like new people showing up. Yoko was their dog. Yoko means demon which they named him because he sounded like a demon.

Every morning, leaving the house Chihiro always saw this boy walking with his cellphone out. Chihiro knew that cellphone's were an addictive device to young children but come on. He was walking to the high school close to Chihiro's college. Today he finally asked him a question.

" Who are you texting on your cellphone?"

" No one!" He screamed hiding his cellphone. He was scared of Chihiro. It was something he couldn't understand, Chihiro was just asking him a question.

" Sorry. My name is Chihiro. What's your name?"

" Yuki."

Yuki seemed scared of Chihiro for some reason. Why he was scared of him was perfectly obvious. He was scared of someone too. Chihiro was older than him and looked a little scary, but he looked tired.

" Were you up all night playing an MMORPG and don't want to go to school? Video game addictiveness?"

" I don't really like video games," he said in a low and depressed voice.

" Girl problems?" He froze and burned red when Chihiro mentioned girls.

" Yeah..."

" Yuki!" Yuki flinched and Chihiro was curious. He looked at the school they were about to pass and saw a pink haired girl in a blue uniform and blue shorts waving to Yuki. "Yuki! Yuki...huh?"

She finally quiet down. It was Chihiro's fault she was so quiet. She seemed to either not like her boyfriend-Chihiro only assumed she was his girlfriend from how happy she was seeing him-hanging out with other people. So Chihiro gave Yuki a simple push and walked to college.

Chihiro was going to get a job when he graduated from college with a degree and live somewhere in the city, an apartment maybe, and nothing was going to change that.

/

" Professor Beadstan. Did I do something wrong?"

" Why would you think something is wrong?" Beadstan laughed. Beadstan was once a student in this very college. He liked it so much he decided to work here. He was a very kind professor but people often looked down on him because he carried a black cane. He wore a black French cap, a black shirt, and a gray shirts. He was wearing a white cowl. He was bald but had an orange beard. Finally his eyes were tiny black.

" Then why did you email me to met you in your office today?"

" Chihiro, you're a good student. You're dedicated and work very hard. What I am about to tell you is a request to join me in a little battle royale."

" Battle Royale? What are you talking about?"

" I know this will sound strange, but I'm not your college professor. He is somewhere else. I came from another world to make someone else take my place in the battle royale about to take place. I want my normal self to have a normal life during the battle royale."

" I still don't understand what you want me to do, professor?"

" I want you to hang on to this for me." The professor reached into his bag and pulled out a tablet. A black device with a screen and no keyboard. It looked like an Ipod but from a different brand." This belongs to you."

" Professor, why are you giving me your device? Doesn't it belong to you?"

" As an acting god I have powers to change the world. I can also change this diary's ownership over to you."

" But why me? I'm no one special. I don't have any creative ideas and I'm not strong."

" The start of the battle royale won't start for three days. Every time the battle royale starts I change a few things. If you ever move into the next world you'll understand. The future is unpredictable. I'm just giving you a tool to play with it. Have a nice day."

Chihiro took the tablet from Professor Beadstan. Chihiro turned the device on. On the screen there was a message that didn't make any sense.

April 12 4:05 P.M.

Chihiro gets his diary from his professor. He is scared and has a lot of questions

April 12 4: 07 P.M.

Chihiro feels hungry when he leaves and buys food at the cafeteria. He buys rice pudding and sushi

April 12 4: 20 P.M.

Chihiro walks home. On the way home a girl he's never met will stick her head out of the window and make a sexual comment about him.

April 12 4: 34 P.M.

Chihiro will take a twenty minute rest and then wake up to study his notes

/

**This is a note from the author. Sorry this chapter isn't very long. I've been meaning to update this story but didn't know how. I didn't come up with the feelings of the girl being obsessed. Another author wrote it and sent it to me. I sadly can't remember that author's name but when I find it I will mention it in the next chapter. Thanks for reading.**


	3. Chapter 3

**It sucks that I couldn't get the next chapter until now but with the help of Eternal-WinterWriter helping me with this chapter it has become a big chapter. Not because of the length but by the way it was laid out. Please read and review. **

XXX

Chihiro stared at the device, his blue eyes reflecting the blackness of the lockscreen. He didn't understand the circumstances all-the-way, but there was this panging in his gut; put-that-device-away-or-else. He slid it into one of the many pockets of his green coat, designed with those white hexagons. He walked down the barren halls, glancing and wondering. Most of the students were in rec rooms, just hanging out, or they were in their hour-long classes, jotting notes during a lecture.

He adjusted his white fingerless gloves, Professor Beadstan's words reverberating inside of his head.

"Chiiiiihiiiiiro!"

That voice was so grating in its damned sing-song, he actually cringed and gritted his teeth against each other. He could recognize that voice from anywhere, and it was the voice of her. He turned.

There stood the athletic Kiriko in her bodily pronounced glory, sporting a crop top that exposed her toned stomach and very short shorts that shouldn't be riding up her inner thighs like that. Was that really hope jocks dressed? Her pink hair was pulled up to a high tail, bringing out the symmetry of her soft, heart-shaped face and those pretty pink eyes. She batted her black, long lashes at him, smiling sweetly.

"Hey, you busy?"

"Yeah, sorry, Kiriko-san."

She pouted, fluttering her eyes at him and widening her smile.

"Hey, you look good today, Chihiro."

Chihiro was at a loss for words. He didn't particularly like Kiriko or dislike her, either, but that didn't disagree with the fact that he detested her advances on him. They knew nothing about each other. All he knew about her was that she was part of the school volleyball team and was recognized through campus for that reason, and yet... he was wrong about her side of this argument; she probably knew a lot about him if she was following him home in the shadows. That thought made him very uncomfortable in his skin, and usually he was comfortable, but the safety of his coat wasn't granted.

He was socially awkward, and his relationship with Professor Beadstan was an attest to such. He could only communicate the way he pleased with elders, but people his age, there was no right enough response. He was damned if he didn't, and he was damned if he did. It was like middle school starters all over again, and at that thought, he was brought back to the boy from earlier.

"Yuki". The raven with eyes as blue as Chihiro's, hiding his face behind his deep blue flip phone as he thumbed the keys expertly. He didn't like videogames, but he was fascinated with his phone in some way. He was terrified of something, but what? He had a girlfriend, and she was very possessive. His girlfriend, whatever her name was, was a lot like Kiriko the harder he thought about it. Perhaps he and high-schooler Yuki weren't far from being on the same boat.

He decided that he would try talking to the boy again.

"Chihiro?"

"What?"

"Did you space?"

"Sorry, Kiriko-san, I have to go." He briskly left the building, pulling his coat up by the collar to hide his face and his inflaming embarrassment.

He dully wondered how his father and Yoko were doing.

XXX

Chihiro's dad was multitasking. He was reading mail and paying bills at the same time. The mail he received was a letter from an old friend of his. These bills were for the new floors he was putting in his house.

"Who's that from, dad?" asked Chihiro, closing the door behind him and raising his eyebrow.

Yoko ran up to him, barked in greeting, and nuzzled his leg. Chihiro smiled a smile that didn't completely lift his lips, but didn't completely pull them down. It was the most of a smile he could manage. He petted Yoko's head, scratching him behind the ears the way he liked, and Yoko barked happily.

" You're late." Chihiro's father was right. He was two hours late from when school should have been over. " Did you run into any bullies?"

"No, nothing like that." he replied, walking over and leaning behind the armchair his dad sat on, curious. Yoko trailed, slumping himself on Chihiro's feet lazily. Typical Yoko.

" I got a letter from your uncle Hiro," Chihiro's father said handing his son the letter.

" You know he really isn't our uncle," Chihiro said.

" Well it's better to call him that than Hiro. His father died and he was wondering if I could go to the funeral. I need you to stay here and take care of Yoko."

"..." Chihiro hesitated.

Professor Beadstan's words were fresh in his mind, spinning among the other thoughts of "Yuki", "Kiriko", and the tablet in his coat breast pocket. If most of what the professor had said was true, then... No, he couldn't think like that. If he were to burden his dad like that, it would be unforgivable, especially if it wasn't anything serious. The professor was probably just kidding about the whole Battle Royale undertone, but such a tablet that could predict the future within a set interval of minutes.

"I see. When?" he asked gently.

" Next Wednesday. His father died in America and there's the matter of preparing him to look peaceful when they show him in a casket." Chihiro's father felt a ringing noise. " What's that?"

" It's my tablet," Chihiro said showing it to him.

" Since when do you have a tablet? I didn't buy one for you."

" My teacher gave it to me."

The ringing wasn't an email. It was going to tell Chihiro if something in the future has changed.

" Next Wednesday. His father died in America and there's the matter of preparing him to look peaceful when they show him in a casket." Chihiro's father felt a ringing noise. " What's that?"

" It's my tablet," Chihiro (the paragraph filler) pulled out his tablet and checked the screen, alarmed.

April 12, 4:30 P.M

Chihiro will learn that his dad is flying to America to attend Uncle Hiro's father's funeral.

Then, there was a message in his email inbox. The conspicuous "one new message" glared at him, unusual and off-putting. His heart pounded faster at that. He was never emailed through his personal address, and the only reason why he made one, was in case he decided to have a social life, which had backfired on him more than once. Regardless of his sudden anxiety, he tapped the email app and proceeded alertly.

The sender and subject of the email was more off-putting.

From; Deus Ex Machina; Unknown

To; Yoshida Chihiro

Congratulations. You are announced the nineteenth contestant of our game. For more information about the game you have been submitted into, please remember to attend the General Meeting that will occur at 8:17 P.M tonight. Don't miss it, or severe disqualification can be put into question.

See you there.

"..." Chihiro fought his shock, for the sake of his dad, watching him intently from the armchair. He had turned his head, raising his brow, and grew more curious at the sight of the tablet.

" Since when do you have a tablet? I didn't buy one for you."

" My teacher gave it to me."

The second ringing wasn't an email this time. It was going to tell Chihiro if something in the future has changed. He drew a mental deep breath, preparing himself for something absurd when he glanced the tablet entries.

April 12, 4:31 P.M

Chihiro needs a breather.

And he did, but he couldn't worry his dad. He glanced at his dad, and his dad's questioning gaze wasn't pulling away.

"What teacher?"

"Professor Beadstan," Chihiro replied, indifferent per usual, except his voice shook on the last syllable of his professor's surname. He turned away, pretending that hadn't happened. "I'll be in my room. I have notes to study."

With that, Chihiro left the room, and his dad confused in his wake.


	4. Chapter 4

**Two chapters in two days thanks to the help of Eternal-WinterWriter. It wasn't easy to write this chapter. But at least this story is finally moving forward. Please read and review. **

XXX

Chihiro needed something to get his mind off of what was happening. He decided the best action to take would be to open up a magazine of naked women. With Chihiro's hormones a naked lady would always put his mind at ease. He didn't get to see a naked lady because his tablet was ringing again.

He begrudgingly set the porn magazine aside on his bed, pulling his tablet out from his pants pocket. For the magazine, he had hung his signature green coat up on the rack by his closed bedroom door and was getting ready to strip the rest of the articles off. It was a new entry, and not an email, but an instant message.

April 12, 4:39 P.M

Chihiro will receive a spam of messages from Kiriko.

His eyebrow raised. Kiriko? Messaging him? How would she know that he had the tablet? Wait, how would she know that he was using the tablet Professor Beadstan lent him? Suspicious questions flitted his head, almost enlarging as much as the amount of messages she was sending him, demanding his attention. Annoyed, he checked through them;

April 12, 4:38 P.M; HEY

April 12, 4:38 P.M; CHIHIRO

April 12, 4:38 P.M; WHAT R U

April 12, 4:38 P.M; DOING?

How the hell did a girl text so fast within one minute? No, more worryingly yet, why was she sending pieces of a question per message? He didn't get it, and the more he didn't get it, the more annoyed he was getting by this girl. However, his annoyance wouldn't deter her. She was flooding his instant message box like no tomorrow.

One message a day was enough, two messages was funny, but all these messages was from someone who is either stupid or insane. Chihiro closed his tablet and threw it at his window. Chihiro tried calming himself by pressing his fingers against his neck. Chihiro then went back to read his porn magazine.

Some of the photos were more modest than others. He flipped through them, letting himself be distracted by the bare and vivacious bodies displayed; some were fuller and others more modest and common. His tablet was ringing mercilessly against the wall, and it made an unflattering noise. He tried to ignore it, but the longer he did, the more his tablet rang and rang. Would Kiriko just leave him alone? He had enough of her annoyingness.

Chihiro couldn't take it. He opened his tablet to read the messages she sent him. Most of them were messages harassing Chihiro and asking questions, but one came from a different classmate who made an odd request. He raised his eyebrow, reading the message sent from that classmate, curiosity filling him.

April 12, 4: 39 P.M; DO YOU KNOW ME? I'M THAT NERDY KID &amp; THE SMALLEST KID IN SCHOOL. I DON'T WANT TO HURT YOU, I WANT TO HELP YOU. MEET ME OUTSIDE THE LIBRARY

Chihiro was thinking this could be a trap. Why would someone he doesn't know send him a message unless they were planning on eliminating him. Chihiro didn't respond to the message, and then his tablet turned on with a new message on top.

April 12, 4: 40 P.M; WOULD IT MEAN ANYTHING IF I TOLD YOU I DON'T CARRY WEAPONS?

He was calmer than this, he knew. Yet, that email earlier from that odd sender he'd never seen in his life, was insinuating that the "battle royale" implications in Beadstan's conversation with him were true. He had to be cautious, to anyone and everyone; they were potential threats, even if he didn't want to see them that way. Judging from how this sender was messaging him; self-effacing and all-caps, it had to be his classmate, Izumi Kato.

Yeah, he was the smallest kid on-campus. He was roughly five feet and five inches, the size of a middle schooler, but he was one of the smartest people Chihiro had briefly spoken to. If he spoke out for himself, Chihiro was confident that Izumi could have been as respectable as Kiriko, but then again, that height of his would earn him a few laughs from the five inches and abovers.

He thought this over for a moment and sighed. What could go wrong? They were only going to be outside the downtown library, right? That was a reasonably crowded place to be, what with the bypassers walking by to places and the people from within the library could see outside through brown-tinted glass windows. He sighed, again, and sent Izumi his reply.

April 12 4:42 P.M; I'LL BE THERE.

Only a few seconds later, Izumi replied.

April 12, 4:43 P.M; C U THERE, YOSHIDA.

Chihiro breathed, paced, and then, when he was composed enough for what he would face at the library, he readjusted his coat, and he walked away. At the sound of footsteps down the stairs, his dad immediately looked up from his book. Even Yoko barked, interested and salivating onto the floor. His dad sighed, shaking his head and cleaning it up with the nearby roll of paper towel sheets on the coffee table.

"Where are you going, Chihiro?"

"I'm going to the library to meet a friend. I should be back at six or sooner." For that General Meeting, he thought to himself.

"I see. When you come back, Chihiro," his dad was saying with Chihiro's back to him.

"Hm?"

"Don't forget to lock the door after you."

"Of course, dad."

"Good, then."

He left without anything else to say, because if he stayed too long, he might have just slipped out. He walked his way to the library, anxiety sitting in his chest. The sky above was turning sunset pastel red and orange intermixed within white and blue. It was a beautiful sky. A sky he didn't know he would see last.

On the way to the library he encountered many beautiful things. The first beautiful thing was a man dressed in a green mascot dancing and waving a new comic book; Chihiro was not interested in comics however. He saw a man giggling with a waitress as he passed a café. And he saw a boy in a wheelchair say the cutest thing.

" Doesn't matter if I'm in a wheelchair. I'm handicapable. I can still go on walks."

It's funny how he only recognized those beautiful things now. Then again, Chihiro never wandered place to place. He would go to his classes and walk home, having no specific plans or ideas on what else to do besides his work. Was that what it felt like to be a dead man walking? Watching his surroundings as he suspects that maybe, just maybe, in the slightest possibility, this was it?

Izumi was standing there in a blue uniform and cap, looking like a bellhop in his attire. His dark hair was short, slightly in the way of his brown eyes, and he stood in the setting sunlight apprehensively. When noticed Chihiro, he smiled small and beckoned him. Hesitantly, Chihiro trailed closer.

" I was beginning to think you weren't going to show," he said to Chihiro. He then typed something on his cellphone and the next minute a text came from Izumi.

April 12 4:53 P.M.; I WAS BEGINNING TO THINK YOU WEREN'T GOING TO COME.

Chihiro raised his eyebrow.

"I'm here. Why did you want to meet? What do you have to tell me?"

Izumi opened his mouth. Chihiro thought he was going to say something. It was apparent by the look in his eyes that he was observing the area. He was a little strange. After looking everywhere he told Chihiro what he knows.

" I know about your ascent to being God...and it's not because I'm a Diary Holder like you. I am...not special. You...you are special, and it's disturbing for me to admit it."

"..." Chihiro blinked, taken aback by Izumi's words. He knew the boy was hard on himself, but to hear him break the news like this to Izumi was making this day weigh heavier on him. He cleared his throat, reminding himself to have composure. "So... there are other holders, and this is a battle royale?"

"Kind of like that..." said Izumi lamely, scratching his neck. "Listen... I don't mean you any harm! I, uh, I just..."

"What is it?" asked Chihiro, impatient.

"I was wondering if... we could work together, you know? I want you to win, Yoshida, so... Don't think this is for my benefit, or anything."

"Isn't it too sudden for you to talk like that?" Chihiro raised his brow, surprised.

"So what? My mind is made up."

This looked like some kind of trap. Izumi may slash his throat at any moment. Chihiro felt Izumi was untrustworthy. It was a competition and Izumi may be a part of it.

Right. That self-deprecation was an act for Chihiro to fall for. It reminded him so much of unmotivated people feigning homelessness for the sake of free money. Rage boiled within him at that moment, tempted to knock Izumi off of his feet with a punch to the face when he heard whistling. And then, there was screaming. Chihiro's blue eyes widened, glancing as he watched people retreat for their lives, screaming for mercy. Izumi glanced, too, horror filling his face at the sight of...

A legion of birds flew the sky that had become a darker shade of blue. The silhouette of a slim man was walking closer and closer to them. His footfalls clicked against the pavement. As soon as he came into fuller sight, his pointed face framed by wavy, dark hair was shown. Eyes that were cold and bloodthirsty blue stared over at them, lips bloodied and smirking, and a red-eyed bluejay was perched on his coat shoulder. The coattails were frilly and white, reminiscent of petticoats but the coat itself was completely white, save for the bluejays patches on them.

"I love my birdies." he confessed softly. "I can't say the same about human scum."

"...Who the hell are you?" barked Chihiro, wide-eyed and glaring through his own incomprehensible fear.

Izumi was trembling. No, he was trembling and gaping upon the cold stare of the man before them. The nameless man smirked wider through blood stained, rotting teeth and laughed a horrible laugh. Chihiro staggered back, knocking Izumi slightly with his elbow. Izumi didn't even budge, so deep in his own fear.

"Kato-san?" Chihiro glanced. "Kato-san! Anything?"

"H-he's a h-holder, b-but..." the nerd began stammering. "I d-d-don't... H-he's..."

"What? What is it? Say it!"

He was too scared to answer Chihiro. It must be the shock getting to him. Chihiro thought the only way to find out anything was to read his diary. He took out his tablet as a new message appeared.

April 12 5: 01 P.M.; THE MAN WHO CALLS HIMSELF LIBA WILL SAY HIS NAME BEFORE HIS BIRDS ATTACK, KIRIKO IS WATCHING.

"Kiriko-san!" called Chihiro.

The man's eyebrow raised, his mouth having been open to utter another something.

Suddenly, someone appeared behind Chihiro. It was Liba. He was faster than Chihiro had expected and his bird pecked Chihiro's face. After Liba's bird pecked him he was punched by Liba. Chihiro stumbled down the stairs and fell. After falling there was an explosion from the top of a building.


	5. Chapter 5

**I would like to thank TheSummerWriter for helping me write this chapter. Some parts of this story makes me smile. **

XXX

Chihiro groaned, about to pull himself up by his palms on the pavement when Lida slammed his foot down on his back, pressing his face back down on the pavement. Lida pulled out his pistol from one of the side pockets of his coat and aimed it at Chihiro's head. Chihiro felt it, and all of that dread, all of that anxiety, and everything he had felt that day was... dissipating, as if he'd never felt it, at all. He closed his eyes.

"No!" Izumi ran over, throwing himself on Lida quickly.

The birds tweeted. The bombs they were dropping shook the ground, broke the buildings, and scared off the people. The blackening sky was only illuminated by the hellish colors of the bomb fire. The birds swarmed, flying over to where Izumi was pummeling Lida. Chihiro stood. Pulling herself from an alley, Kiriko ran over to him and checked him over.

"Are you okay, Chi-chi~?"

A brown owl flew down and attacked Kiriko! She blocked the owl's talons with her hand but she was distracted and Lida threw a punch into her.

Kiriko stumbled back, catching herself when she nearly hit the ground. Izumi was lying down on the ground, blood trickling his broken nose and face bruising as he wheezed and wheezed for breath. Only Chihiro stood around, unblinking and unfazed at Lida's laughter. Lida smiled through blood stained teeth, staring back at Chihiro.

"When I'm all done with you, I'm going to have a nice dinner." he rasped through his breathlessness.

"...What the hell?" Chihiro raised his brow.

Chihiro didn't know how he was going to win. Liba was already bleeding from his mouth. How much further did he has to bleed?

Kiriko growled through her teeth, while Lida had been inching over to Chihiro, she went back to the alleyway to pull her bat from her sports bag. Now, she was running at him, swinging his defensive birds away from her and with heavier vigor, she swung the bat to Lida's head. Izumi stayed lying where he was, trying to catch his breath through wheezes, and Chihiro ran over to him, kind of worried.

" That girl...wow." He was breathless trying to breath from his mouth. He looked a little flushed. " Is she your girlfriend?"

"..." Chihiro stared at him.

Kiriko smirked down at Lida. He was face down, bleeding, likely unconscious. Now, for the killing blow. She held her bat over her own head, for the heaviest swing when... a legion of birds swooped down, suspended Lida, and flew away before she could have her chance. She growled, annoyed, then walked over to the other two.

"Who's he, Chi-Chi?" she asked, staring intently at Izumi.

" My name is Izumi," Izumi said. " I am a classmate of Chihiro's. I know about the game you two are playing and I wanted to help him with it."

" Do you trust him, Chihiro?" Kikiro raised her bat acting like if he said anything about him not trusting Izumi she would kill him.

Izumi hadn't attacked him. No, Lida had done the ambushing. At the start, Chihiro was certain that Izumi couldn't be trusted, but now... with the dark haired boy battered and bleeding from a fight between them and another competitor, he realized, he could trust Izumi. Izumi had been helping him during the fight, hadn't he?

"I trust him."

Kikiro looked at Izumi like she didn't trust him. " Glad to know you trust him. You need to go to your home now. We are having a meeting tonight with Deus Ex Machina and the rest of the Diary Holders."

Chihiro couldn't believe what he was hearing. " What?"

"Did you forget already?" Izumi teased, smiling weakly.

"..." Chihiro blanked out there, but now he remembered. The "General Meeting" at 8:17 PM.

" The meeting at 8: 17 P.M?"

" Yes," Izumi nodded his head. " You have to go to that meeting."

"Everyone will be there." added Kiriko. "We only know each other's identities, and Lida's. By the way," she narrowed her pink eyes at Izumi. "What number are you?"

" I'm..." Izumi felt like he bit his own tongue.

"It doesn't matter." Chihiro interrupted the conversation firmly. "Both of you just get going. I'll see you at the meeting."

Izumi was so happy Chihiro answered for him.

So the three wandered off to the directions of their homes. Kiriko was fueled with bloodlust and excitement. Izumi hoped he wouldn't be ambushed on the way home, relieved but anxious for the series of events to unfold. Chihiro didn't know what he was feeling for sure, but he was a lot more scared than he was going to let on to anyone.

XXX

Chihiro used his diary to find the perfect way to sneak into his house without being noticed.

If even his neighbors saw him they would tell his father and he would get into so much trouble. He had to take a bath to clean himself of the ashes, wash himself with soap, probably put on three deodorants all over his body, and then go to bed.

When he was all set, he soundlessly went into his bedroom. Yoko was heavily asleep, snug on the living room rug. As soon as he checked the time and his diary, his surroundings started to spin and the wallpaper tore off to unveil pitch black and purple. He was standing on a purple pedestal of some sort around the center throne of a God, and glancing around, he saw twenty-nine others. Kiriko stood beside him in her short chemise, smirking. Izumi was still in his blue uniform, adjusting his collar nervously. From across the way, Chihiro saw Liba. Liba smirked through those same blood stained, rotting teeth, cocking his head at Chihiro's stare and mouthing, "Next time, scum".

Seeing the people who were going to kill him now Chihiro felt like there was something in his throat that made him want to scream, suck it back in and let him scream again.

"I see that everyone is in attendance." Deus glanced around. "Good. The meeting commences. Now, your diaries,"

There was a click all around the space as everyone fumbled for their diaries and checked them.

"The diaries pertain to you in some way or other; the entries in your diaries are all written ninety days in advance. However, that doesn't stop your futures from changing, and therefore, your entries from changing with it. It's all based upon your series of actions. For example, imagine that an entry determines a major incapacitation - you avoid the usual path and are unharmed. That is putting it simply, as other times, the cases demand broader steps." A smirk stretched on his mouth, Deus added, "The point of the game is for you to be flagged Dead-End, and you, as the flagged one, to avoid that fate at any cost necessary, and the survivor? The survivor wins my throne as God of Time and Space."

Mostly all of the contestants elicited their own amusement, their own puzzlement, their own grief, or their own despair of the situation, but Chihiro was mute. He was struggling not to scream, or react. Just a few damned days ago, he was ordinary, save for Kiriko. He'd been living his life without any issue, and now, this... He gritted his teeth.

"This will be fun." Liba sighed softly, his voice melting in its falsetto from his own twisted pleasure. "Hunting down human scum."

"Someone has a hard-on."

"Are the two of you serious?"

"This is a game of life and death! There's no time for clowning around!"

"All of you bastards are going to be sorry when I knock down your doors!"

"Don't get too ahead of yourself there, Ninth."

"Pathetic."

"All of you are squirming - just wait until Justice finds you out!"

"Oh great, another freak."

All of their voices blended together were only white noise in Chihiro's head. He was freaking out. Beads of sweat rolled down his face, and he was almost trembling, almost trembling until he saw across the way a familiar silhouette... No, that couldn't be? The silhouette wasn't visible like Izumi, Kiriko, or Liba's, yet... it was vaguely familiar. It made his heart race.

"You all do realize that Third is dead, right?"

Silence fell over the space.

"Who killed him?"

"First did it." Deus chimed in, clearly amused and mischievous.

"..." the vaguely familiar silhouette tenses, and Chihiro can imagine all of that indescribable anxiety and pressure weighing down on him now that everyone's eyes are on him, judging and malicious.

"First gets the first kill? You think you're tough? Just wait until I come around."

"No, I want a pick at him first!"

Izumi swallowed, Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. Chihiro glanced at him; say-something? Izumi shrugged, smiling nervously. It was a game of life and death. This wasn't the schoolyard. This wasn't a kid being singled out and bullied. This was a Battle Royale, one that Chihiro more or less didn't want to be involved in. This situation was dubious, and the longer he stood there, listening to the contestants taunt each other, the harder it was for him to stomach the thought of being found by Liba again. And Liba's narrowed blue eyes, sly bloodied smirk, and carefree humming were doing anything but stifling Chihiro's worst fears.

Chihiro couldn't hear the rest of what they were saying. Something told him that at some point they were trying to talk to him. He was telling himself the truth; he probably only had a day left to live.

" See this boy...see how he trembles," Liba told everyone. He was trying to get the Diary Holders attention. " Tell them. They may not see what you look like but they can sure as hell see you have goose bumps."

"..." Chihiro's face flushed, in anger and embarrassment, but his fear was overcoming him. "Shut up..." he hissed so quietly, Kiriko probably didn't hear him.

"Hey, back off!" She snapped, glaring. "You want to start a fight? Give it to me! Just don't bore me with your dumb birds."

Izumi bit his lip.

" People think birds lack intelligence because they have small heads," Liba scoffed. " Those birds were smart enough to follow all my orders in only a short amount of time. It was so easy to find you Diary Holders. I can find everyone in this town. When you see a Dead End on your phone...it's my birds dropping a bomb on you."

Everyone fell silent, except for...

"Bombs?!" exclaimed one of them. "Oi! What the hell?! Using birds to... sonuvabi t ch!"

Kiriko laughed.

"It looks like you have everyone's attention, Liba. You think you'll win, do you, really?"

" Let's stop and listen to what I have to say for a moment. Most of you think I'm just another one of you, trapped in my own cage with nothing to eat. Do any of even know what your going to do when you become the next God? Imagine all those hopes and dreams...remember them for me because it will never happen when I become God. When I become God there will still be people, but birds will be eighty percent of the population. Birds deserve more than what any of you think. I don't care how I win, and that means I don't care if I have to slit your throats myself with a knife or make my birds slit your throats with their talons. Enjoy the games. Don't look for me because I will come first against you..."

Kiriko hmphed, crossing her arms over her chest tighter and glaring at Liba. Izumi's hands shook, buried in his pockets. Chihiro closed his eyes. He couldn't believe it and he shouldn't believe it, but now he has to. He has to believe it, he's with the twenty-nine other contestants now. Two are his classmates, and one of them is some psychopathic bird-enthusiast, but that's the problem. If there's more of them like Liba... Chihiro turned away, heart pounding and sweat rolling. How the hell was he going to survive this?

XXX

Chihiro didn't say anything at breakfast. That was nothing new considering his hormones and how early school starts. His father was out of the house and his sister was playing with toys on the table.

She wasn't attempting any conversation, and Chihiro was thankful for it. He didn't know if this would be the last breakfast he'd ever have. He didn't know if this would be the last time he saw his little sister or Yoko, and he hadn't seen his father leave earlier. But he knew he couldn't act on his sorrowful concerns, or else everyone would be suspicious. He didn't want that. He just wanted answers, and maybe, Beadstan would have them straight.

Chihiro wasn't going to walk outside without something to protect himself. He wasn't going to risk bringing a gun to school. It wasn't like he had one to begin with, but guns were more dangerous than helpful. Chihiro was afraid of birds flying over him following Liba's command and dropping bombs on him.

That's when he heard the doorbell ring.

" Please be Izumi. Please be Izumi," Chihiro begged.

If it was Liba or Kiriko than Chihiro would just die.

Izumi was the only normal one, Chihiro thought. It showed in the way that Izumi's hands were sweating and shaking throughout the General Meeting. It showed in the way that Izumi was inexperienced in fighting, but he improvised to make up for it, resulting in a bloody and battered face. It showed in the way that despite how he may feel deep down about the situation, he acknowledged it for what it was. A game of survival, of life and death, and instead of reveling in it, he was as afraid, or even more afraid than Chihiro himself was.

He opened the door, and Izumi stood there. He was in his blue uniform again with a cap to shadow out the bruises on his face.

"How are you holding up?" asked Izumi.

"..." Chihiro stared down.

" Yeah, me too. I was up all night thinking of ways to save ourselves from this game but then I realized it's going to play along no matter what we do. The best thing we can do is have fun and live like there's no tomorrow."

"Is that really it?" asked Izumi softly. "I wonder... Hey, what should we do, Chihiro?"

Chihiro had no idea. He was going to look for a bedpan or tennis racket. They were the only weapons small enough to fit in his backpack.

Then, Izumi said something he dreaded.

"What about Kiriko?"

Chihiro liked that idea. Of course he was afraid of getting close to her but she was the perfect tool he could use to fight Liba. She showed up the first time Chihiro met him and she saved him from certain death.

"...Right." he had said.

"Do you know where we would find her?"

"Never far away enough, that's for sure."

Chihiro was referring to the fact that she may be watching him right now. Izumi didn't get it, but Chihiro was sure that if he did understand it, Kiriko wouldn't like him anymore than she already did.

" What does your diary say is going to happen?" Izumi asked.

Chihiro checked it.

April 13 8:46 A.M / Kiriko will be hiding in the bushes of the park a block off. She won't be happy to see Izumi. For some reason, she still doesn't trust him or like him. /

Chihiro sighed.

He showed Izumi what his diary said. Izumi sighed too.

" I just hope she doesn't try to kill me," he said.

"I wouldn't let her." confessed Chihiro.

Chihiro and Izumi had a good laugh about that. After laughing they walked together to school. They were still afraid of what Liba would do. Every time they saw a bird over their heads or a bird fluttering they ran fast thinking it was one of Liba's birds.

"That's scary..." Izumi muttered. "To think that he could control any of the birds..."

" What's scarier Is the things he can make his birds do," Chihiro said. If Liba could control any bird he could also control vultures. Chihiro could imagine the horror of five or more vultures eating a man.

"...I think I'm going to be sick." Izumi greens, covering his mouth and turning his head another away.


End file.
